Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 31

ESPN-minus

Posted on Monday, January 31, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

On the night of January 11, there was a top-15 men’s basketball matchup involving one of TV’s darlings. Iowa State-Kansas was banished to ESPN+. Half an hour before that tipoff, a top-25 women’s basketball game involving the same school started. … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on ESPN-minus
Jan 28

Hamburg Reporter got new owner

Posted on Friday, January 28, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This happened four months ago, but worth a note: The Hamburg Reporter, in the southwest corner of Iowa, changed ownership. It had been a GateHouse paper, then a Gannett paper following the former’s purchase of the latter (but taking the … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Hamburg Reporter got new owner
Jan 26

My book of 2021

Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I’ve done a LOT of reading in the past year, but nearly all of it was on the Internet. I only got through two hard-copy books. One, The Story of the Titanic As Told By Its Survivors, arguably doesn’t count … Continue reading →

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Jan 24

North Tama continues look at infrastructure

Posted on Monday, January 24, 2022, at 11:00 AM by Jeff

Earlier this month, the North Tama school board had another work session to discuss long-term plans for the school complex, reports the North Tama Telegraph. A “hefty packet” of information about construction possibilities and, more importantly, funding options was offered … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools, Tama County | Comments Off on North Tama continues look at infrastructure
Jan 21

I-80 Iowa County rest area expansion plan

Posted on Friday, January 21, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Iowa DOT’s plan to expand parking at the I-80 eastbound rest area between the Victor and Ladora exits is available online. Construction is planned for late next year. KCCI reported that a rebuilt westbound rest area opened just before Christmas, … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on I-80 Iowa County rest area expansion plan
Jan 19

An I-380 sign overlay that never got placed

Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

On southbound I-380 in Cedar Rapids, at the 27th Avenue SW overpass, there’s an overhead sign with the distance for the next, and last, city exit: 33rd Avenue SW. The bracket is designed to hold a sign with two lines … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on An I-380 sign overlay that never got placed
Jan 17

South Tama bond issue vote March 1

Posted on Monday, January 17, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

There will be a vote on a $26.8 million middle school bond referendum in South Tama on March 1, reports the Tama-Toledo News-Chronicle. The proposal the school board decided on was renovations at the Iowa Juvenile Home site. If the … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on South Tama bond issue vote March 1
Jan 14

Old schools in Miles, Preston gone

Posted on Friday, January 14, 2022, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

June 14, 2011: The 192X Preston school — exact year unknown because the cornerstone is cut off by the 1950 building to its right — and the capstone for Miles school. The Easton Valley school district, the easternmost in Iowa, … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on Old schools in Miles, Preston gone
Jan 12

Waverly-Janesville road will be upgraded

Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The 1914 map above shows the Red Ball Route north of Janesville shifting to the section line, once the railroad gets out of the way, in the southwest corner of Section 23. This kink, approximately 1/8 mile, was turned into … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Waverly-Janesville road will be upgraded
Jan 10

Will we get 9% more content too?

Posted on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

NBC Sports Network is dead, ESPN Classic is dead, and the sports cable bill is going up. Makes total sense. The wholesale cost of television channels is Mediacom’s largest expense and in the past year, rates from the national networks, broadcast … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Will we get 9% more content too?